A Phoenix family had to flee their home after it was allegedly petrol bombed by a disgruntled druglord in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Angel Govender, 45, shared the home with her partner, son, daughter and 4-year-old grand-daughter.
“Our home is part of a four unit flat. We lived on the first floor. Our area is riddled with drugs. The flat below me has been vacant and drug users go there to get high. Some of these users steal our clothing from our line, break our water pipes for water, they defecate and urinate on the property.”
Govender said it was becoming unhygienic and unsafe.
“Everyone in the community is fed-up but too scared to speak out. I have lived in the house for 28 years and have had enough. Just over a week ago, my son caught a drug user stealing a towel and he slapped him. I also shouted at him. I believe he complained about us to a drug dealer in the area.”
She claimed on Friday morning the alleged drug dealer, some of his family members and the drug users came to her home and started verbally abusing on her.
“They were standing on the road just opposite my house. I came onto my balcony and the drug dealer told me I was disturbing his customers. I started to shout back at them. They began throwing bricks and beer bottles at me and my family and I were hurt. My lounge window was also broken.”
Govender claimed that the drug dealer and his family tried to get into her home.
“We have two flights of stairs that lead to my home. They ran up the stairs but we managed to push them away using a ladder. They fell down the stairs and then went back up onto the road. I locked the gate to my home and remained inside.”
She claimed that the drug dealer continued to hurl vulgarities at her and then fired four shots into the air before leaving.
“I was concerned about my safety and I called KZN VIP Security to install CCTV cameras for us so I could monitor who was coming towards my property. Later that evening I went to the clinic in Unit 10 because I was not feeling well. My daughter, partner and granddaughter accompanied me. My son was alone at home. He was sleeping.”
Govender said while at the clinic she received a call from a neighbour saying her house was on fire.
“When I arrived home my son told me that someone had thrown a petrol bomb through the lounge window that was already broken. It hit my TV and landed at the back of the couch. When my son woke up he saw the lounge on fire. He was trapped inside; neighbours managed to open the door and put out the flames.”
She said her lounge was destroyed.
“I recently did renovations but all that money has been wasted. We contacted the police and reported the matter. We have since moved out of our home because we fear for our safety.”
Govender said she believed the drug dealer and the drug users were behind the attack.
“No one would just do this. They wanted to kill us because I spoke up against them. I never thought they would burn our house down.”
Mohamed Shah, the chairman of the Phoenix Local Drug Action Committee, said Govender’s ordeal was not an isolated case.
“Many residents who provide tip-offs or information to our organisation or police about drug dealing do it on an anonymous basis. We have been told by residents that if they are caught giving out information or speaking against the drug dealers they will be attacked.”
Shah said the number of drug dealers, users and those selling drugs had grown in numbers in Phoenix.
“What is needed is harsher prosecutions from the courts. Many dealers are getting off easily and even their bail money is pocket change for them.”
Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, a provincial police spokesperson, said police had arrested three suspects aged 44, 33, and 22 for malicious damage to property.